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 Ruling over soldiers' human rights while abroad
The Supreme Court in London is due to give a ruling on whether UK troops serving abroad are protected by human rights laws following the death of a soldier from Hawick.
The Government challenged a ruling by High Court and Court of Appeal judgments last year saying it is not possible for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to guarantee rights under the European Convention to soldiers.
It follows the death of Private Jason Smith, 32, after he died from heatstroke while in Iraq in 2003.
Andrew Walker, the assistant deputy coroner of Oxfordshire, recorded at his inquest in November 2006 that Pte Smith's death was caused "by a serious failure to recognise and take appropriate steps to address the difficulty that he had in adjusting to the climate".
In the controversial landmark judgement last year, three judges originally dismissed challenges by the Government to High Court rulings over the death.
Pte Smith was deployed to Iraq in June 2003. He repeatedly told medical staff he was feeling seriously unwell due to the temperature, which was over 50C, before reporting sick in August 2003. Four days later he was found lying face down, short of breath, confused and behaving erratically.
He was taken the A&E, but sustained a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead from hyperthermia within an hour.
(2010-06-30 / stv.tv )
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